Dining Out at Nicco Restaurant & Bar
Nicco Restaurant and Cocktail Bar is contemporary Indian dining and it doesn’t shun the lime-light. Its stylish exterior and brightly lit foyer shines like a beacon among some of the faceless buildings in Pride Park. It’s easy to get to. The Derby main line railway station is less than a 10 minute walk and several bus routes run past the restaurant. And by car or taxi it’s just off the main road (A6) that runs through the business park. The restaurant with its unmissable entrance, is adjacent to the ample car park. Susan and myself had arrived for a mid-week lunch. We made our way through the double doors that separate the glazed foyer from the car park. The space then opens up into the dining area and the cocktail bar.
From the large buff coloured floor tiles to the bespoke ceiling finish; there’s a sense of understated quality. A large olive tree takes centre stage, forming a canopy over the surrounding, purpose-built, seating booths.
Once through the foyer the maitre d’ conducted us to our table.
The dining area at Nicco is substantial and the seating is not congested. The generous space allows the cocktail bar to perform to its best advantage. The long, sleek bar displays a backdrop of multi-coloured liquor bottles. I have very little knowledge of cocktails – anything other than a gin and tonic and I have to Google it. Plus, my visits to cocktail bars are limited to what you can count on the fingers of one hand. My worst experience was in Amsterdam. My ‘name-dropper’ experience was an evening in the subtly lit, open-air roof terrace of the The Grand Hotel Cavour in Florence with its spectacular view of the illuminated Cathedral.
My Derby experience was to be a professionally made mocktail, and so, with a flush of patriotism I chose the Derby Sling. It’s a combination of pineapple, grenadine and orange juice, topped up with lemonade and poured over crushed ice. It’s a long, slow and not too sweet drink that lasted me all through lunch. Susan’s choice of beverage was less complicated: a glass of sauvignon blanc!
We sat at our table and, as we sipped our drinks, consulted the menu. I would describe the food at Nicco as modern Indian fusion. There are British, Continental and even Chinese influences running through the dishes on offer. Plus a high proportion of dishes described as vegetarian and vegan.
There is a wide selection of ‘small plate’ dishes. Half of which are vegetarian. These are either starters or you could combine several and enjoy you meal tapas style. From the grill section, lamb, chicken, salmon and prawn dishes top the list but there are also avocado and paneer plus a mushroom dish and a broccoli dish; both finished in the tandoor.
If you’re keeping it traditional the list of mains has many familiar dishes; again, half of which are vegetarian. There’s also the Bottomless Brunch. Priced per person, it’s available between 12 noon and 4 o’clock on Saturday and Sunday; With the added bonus of unlimited Prosecco.
We were tempted by the small plates. There’s a spicy calamari; light and healthy. Another that caught my eye was the mango prawn cocktail. A twist on the classic starter. This French inspired delicacy is served tropical style. Black tiger prawns marinated in tropical spices, vinegar and garlic served with a mango salsa. We selected one small plate each. I chose the chicken momo; a filled dumpling, with origins from Tibet. The delicate dumpling were filled with minced chicken, spring onion and mild spice. Steamed to cook them and fried to finish, they were light, full of flavour and with just a hint of chilli. The accompanying dipping chutney of sesame paste and tomato was creamy and light. A ketchup but without the sharp vinegar taste and excessive sugar.
“Susan’s small plate was the avocado bhel. A combination of puffed rice, cucumber, avocado, pomegranate and onion, tossed together with a tangy chutney and Bombay mix.”
The texture contrast between the vegetables and the rice was a good balance. The Bombay mix and chutney gave the bland avocado warmth and flavour, and the pomegranate made every mouthful burst with freshness.
In a corner of the Nicco menu is the Naanwich. It’s a classic naan served as a wrap with a choice of four fillings: chicken tikka, onion bhaji, paneer tikka or (the one we chose to share) meen masala fish pakora. Described as a fish finger sandwich with a twist. The name suggests that the subtle spices for this dish are from south west India. Chunks of flakey white fish coated in a crisp, spicy batter tucked into a naan along with iceberg lettuce and red onion. A winning combination. This came with a mayonnaise dip and spicy wedges.
What better secret pleasure is there than dipping spicy, masala coated chips into minty mayonnaise? We skipped desserts although I was tempted by the gulab jamun: berry sized spheres dunked in rose flavoured sugar syrup served with vanilla ice cream. We finished with two espresso.
Lunch had been memorable for all the right reasons. The food had been delicious and different. The service attentive. And the ambiance: vibrant. The restaurant and cocktail bar is capacious but not overwhelming. It makes an ideal ‘events’ space. Also, there’s some outside seating and, on sunnier days, the bi-fold windows at the front of the restaurant can be opened to create a terrace feel.
